1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile device and a facsimile device monitoring system and, in particular, to a facsimile device connected to a personal computer device, the personal computer device including a monitoring system for monitoring the status of the facsimile device.
2. Discussion of the Background
A facsimile system capable of confirming the result of facsimile transmission from the image forming (creating) side under the command of an image forming apparatus such as a personal computer, etc. is known. Such a system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 9-247,324, 9-247,325.
In such a system, image data received from the calling station is stored in an image memory, and thereafter, the stored image data is read out in the order of reception and the read-out data are transmitted to an image outputting apparatus.
Each time the image data for a communication is received from the calling station, the information signifying the result of reception is stored.
The above-mentioned background-art document 9-247,324 discloses a facsimile device capable of outputting the information signifying the respectively stored reception result and other information signifying a transmission result as a communication controlling report, with respect to the transmitted image data.
Furthermore, in the latter background-art document 9-247,325, when the transmission of the image data received from the image forming apparatus to the call-receiving station is completed by the facsimile device, information signifying the communication result is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus outputs the information signifying the result of the communication result received from the facsimile device.
Prior to the devices described in the above-mentioned background documents, when the facsimile image data was transmitted from the personal computer to the facsimile device, the facsimile communication result could not be known at the side of the personal computer. In such situation, in order to confirm the communication result, the user (operator) had to walk to the place where the facsimile device was installed. According to the devices described in the above documents, the facsimile device has been improved such that the communication result could be outputted at the personal computer as a communication report.
However, the disclosures in the background documents mentioned above are limited only to the possibility of knowing the communication result on a display of the personal computer. That is, the above technology is not provided with a function of monitoring the facsimile device for the result of a transmission of image data stored at the facsimile device itself, via a personal computer nor a function of correcting an error in the image file from the personal computer when a communication error occurs.
In recent years, the trend has been to connect the facsimile device to the personal computer, to achieve realization of complex functions (multiple function) by unifying the printer functions and the scanner functions. However, even though the personal computer is connected to the facsimile device, the ease of facsimile operations has not improved much.
Regarding background-art facsimile devices, there exists a facsimile device capable of executing a facsimile operation from a personal computer. For example, the facsimile device is capable of registering a one-touch dial number from the personal computer, with the facsimile device capable of displaying the communication result. However, it has not been possible to solve potential problems such as the anxiousness as to the transmission of information from memory of the facsimile device. For example, it is desirable for a user to promptly know the result regarding whether the message has been safely transmitted by the facsimile device, knowing whether the file has been erased due to a transmission error, or of simply deleting the memory transmission file when the facsimile device calls a communication partner at a wrong dialing number, and the like.
Due to the low-cost of facsimile devices, facsimile devices have been frequently employed for personal use. However, if the facsimile device is for personal use and connected to a personal computer, it is wasteful and even uneconomical to print out the report of the result of the transmission of information from memory and/or the error message on a recording sheet.
Heretofore, background art facsimile devices and a facsimile device monitoring system are described. However, according to such background art which is disclosed in the above-mentioned background-art documents, there exists no advantageous functional effect for the facsimile device and the facsimile device monitoring system.